VESTAL, N.Y. – Both Briana Binagi and Regan Kadel of the Binghamton volleyball team are being recognized for their success on the court and in the classroom as the duo was named to the College Sports Communicators' Academic All-District team Tuesday.
 
This is the first time that either player has been selected for this honor. In order to be eligible, a volleyball player must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50 or better while either competing in 90 percent of their team's matches in a season or starting in at least 66 percent of them.
 
Kadel broke through to eventually become Binghamton's primary setter by the end of the 2025 season. Appearing in all 26 matches, Kadel recorded 592 assists, 158 digs, 16 kills, 11 service aces, and nine blocks, all of which are career highs. She finished the season ranked third in the America East Conference in assists per set at 6.43. Kadel closed out the year by posting at least 39 assists in six of her last seven matches, including a career-high 60 at NJIT on Nov. 2. That total ranks as the most recorded in a match by any America East player during the season. She also was named Setter of the Week by the America East twice on Nov. 4 and 17. In the classroom, Kadel has posted a GPA of 3.79 while studying business administration.
 
Binagi also took a step forward with the Bearcats in 2025. Playing in 25 matches, the outside hitter set career highs in kills (111), digs (84), blocks (21.0), service aces (14) and assists (7). In Binghamton's season opener against Fordham at the Bearcat Classic on Aug. 29, Binagi put up her first collegiate double-double with 19 kills and 12 digs. Later that season on Sept. 13, Binagi recorded 16 kills to help the Bearcats defeat Bucknell 3-2 and win the Binghamton Invitational. Off the court, Binagi has put up a GPA of 3.87 while majoring in integrative neuroscience.
 
The two sophomores helped Binghamton return to the America East Volleyball Championship for the fourth season in a row in 2025. It is the first time that the Bearcats reached their conference tournament in four consecutive seasons since 2014-17. Both Viktoria Dimitrova and Merima Smajlovic received First Team All-Conference honors from the America East. Since Binghamton had three players earn First Team All-Conference honors in 2024 (Misa Dlouha, Tsvetelina Ilieva and Lottie Scully), it was the first time the Bearcats had multiple players make the First Team in back-to-back seasons since 2005 (2) and 2006 (3).
 
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